Amusement device.



' No. 868,950. PATENTED 0013.22. 1901.

J. D. VASEYi AMUSEMENT DEVICE. APPLIGATION FILED APR.15, 19 07.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

2 v 27zverz%fi Wifieavax 7 ,J garneys UNITED STATES JOHN D. VASEY, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

AMUSEME N T DE VICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 22, 1907.

Application filed April 15, 1907. Serial No. 368,197.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that 1, JOHN D. VAs-nr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State or New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Amusement Devices, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an amusement device involving the use of a ball which is adapted to be thrown upwardly into an elevated basket or cage and to land either on a support within the cage or on a support below the cage, the particular place at which the ball lands depending upon the skill of the player and determining the score of the latter.

The object of this invention is the production of a novel amusement device of this character which is not only entertaining but which also develops the skill and improves the physique of the player.

In the accompanying drawings consisting of 2 sheets: Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of my new amusement device. in line 2*2, Fig. 1. line 33, Fig. 1. section in line 44, Fig.1.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

The basket or cage A into which the ball I) is thrown by the player consists generally of an upper cylindrical body (1 having its axis arranged vertically, a semispherical cover or top a closing the upper end of the body and a downwardly tapering funnel, chute or hopper a having its upper large end communicating with Fig. 3 is a horizontal section in the lower end of the body while its lower small end is open and forms a discharge passage, outlet opening or throat c. The basket or cage may be constructed in any suitable manner so that the interior of the same is visible from the outside by the players but as shown in the drawings the'same is preferably constructed of wire. The basket may be supported on a post D rising from a base r/, as shown, but if desired the same may be mounted on the side of a wall or other convenient support.

On the frontside of the basket the same is provided with an inlet opening or passage E which is formed in the upper part of the funnel or hopper adjacent to the lower end of the body and through this opening the ball is thrown upwardly into the basket. To facilitate the entrance of the ball into the basket the body is provided at the lower end of its front part with a guide hood or canopy F which extends outwardly and overhangs the upper end of said inlet opening and inclines upwardly and inwardly toward the body, as shown in Fig. 1. The inlet opening is yieldingly closed by a gate, door or wicket which preferably consists of a horizontal eccentric cross rod 9 arranged at the lower end of the inlet opening, two upright rods g 9 projecting upwardly from said eccentric rod to the upper end of Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof Fig. 4 is a fragmentary horizontal said opening, and two eyes g 9 connecting the lower ends of said upright rods with the eccentric cross rod. At the lower end of the inlet opening of the basket is arranged a horizontal pintle rod H having two upwardly projecting loops h, h which receive the eyes 9 g and form a pivot for said door. The latter is held yieldingly in its closed position by a spring t'which ispreferably constructed in the form of an upright elastic bar or rod which is secured at its lower end to the lower front part of the funnel or hopper and bears at its upper end against the cross bar of the door or gate, said gate cross bar being arranged eccentrically with reference to the pivot eyes 9 and on the lower side thereof so that the inward pressure of the spring 'L against the same causes the upper or free end of the gate to move out wardly into its closed position. By pivoting the eyes g on loops h formed on the pintle rod H the gate is prevented irom sliding axially out of place. As the ball is thrown upwardly through the inlet opening of the basket the gate is deflected and after the ball clears the gate the latter again closes and prevents the escape of the ball through the inlet opening.

In the simplest form of the amusement device the ball upon being successfully thrown by the player into the basket through the inlet opening thereof dropsin the body and funnel and escapes through the outlet opening in the lower end of the latter when it may be recovered and thrown repeated y in the manner described, each successiul throw into the basket adding to the score of the player.

For convenience in recovering the 1). ll, a main pocket I is arranged below the outlet of the basket in position to catch the ball as it issues from said outlet. This pocket is preferably made of wire in semi-spherical form and connected on its rear side by upright wires j with the rear lower part of the hopper while the front side is unobstructed to permit the ball to be readily removed therefrom.

I In order to add to the interest of the game and increase the opportunity for varying the score, means are provided which permit catching the ball within the basket and then releasing the same. Various means may be devised for accomplishing the last mentioned purpose, that shown in the drawings comprising two supplemental pockets arranged one above the other in the rear part of the basket and each consisting of a ring shaped body K and a laterally swinging arm Z iorming the bottom of the supplemental pocket. The body of each supplemental pocket is constructed of wire and secured to the rear side of the basket and the bottom of the same has the form of loops which are bent on an upright wire shaft M which is journaled in bearings on the adjacent part of the basket. This shaft is normally turned by a spring m in the direction for bringing the bottom loops Z in position to practically close or obstruct the body rings K on their under-sides. The movement of the shaft in the direction for closing the bottom of the supplemental pockets is limited by means of a stop n which is formed by a bend off-set in the shaft and is adapted to engage with the adjacent part of the basket. The shaft extends downwardly adjacent to the lower main pocket where the same is provided with a forwardly projecting arm or handle 0 whereby the shaft may be turned. When a player throws a ball into the basket, it is liable to enter either of said supplemental pockets in which case the score is increased accordmgly. Upon turning the shaft by means of the handle at its lower end, the bottoms of both supplemental pockets are swung laterally simultaneously, thereby permitting the ball to drop through the body ring of the particular supplemental pocket in which the same was caught and permitting the same to return to the main pocket at the lower end of the basket ready to be thrown again. After the ball is released from a supplemental pocket it is only necessary to release the handle of the shaft, the spring m operating to automatically return the same to the position in which the bottom loops Z again obstruct the body rings on their undersides.

By arranging the handle of the shaft adjacent to the lower or main pocket, the player who releases the ball stands in position to take the ball immediately after dropping, thus expediting the game.

I claim as my invention:

1. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, a gate arranged in the inlet opening and pivoted at the lower edge thereof, and yielding means operating to permit said gate to be opened by a thrown ball and to automatically close said gate when the ball clears the same, substantially as set forth.

2. An amusement device comprising a basket having a hall inlet opening in its side and a hall outlet opening at its lower end, a gate arranged in the inlet opening and pivoted at the lower edge thereof, and a spring engaging said gate and operating to yieldingly hold the same in a closed position so as to permit the gate to open when hit by a thrown ball and to automatically close the gate when the ball clears the same, substantially as set forth.

3. An amusement device comprising a basket having an upper cylindrical body and a lower downwardly tapering fnnnel having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, a cross bar arranged at the lower end of said side opening, a gate for closing said side opening having eyes pivoted on said bar, and a spring for yieldingly holding said gate in its closed position, substantially as set forth.

-l. An amusement device comprising a basket having an upper cylindrical body and a lower downwardly tapering funnel having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, a cross bar arranged at the lower end of said side opening and having two loops,

a gate for closing said side opening having two upright bars, an eccentric cross bar arranged adjacent to said loops and two eyes connecting opposite ends of said eccentric cross bar with the lower ends of said upright bars and pivoted on said loops, and a spring bar connected at one end with said chute and engaging at its opposite end with said eccentric bar, substantially as set forth.

5. An amusement device comprising an upright basket having a ball inlet in its side and a ball outlet at its lower end, a hood projecting forwardly from the body at the upper edge of its inlet opening, and a pivoted gate arranged in said inlet opening, substantially as set forth.

6. An amusement device comprising an upright basket having a cylindrical upper part and a downwardly tapering lower part provided with a ball inlet at its front side and a ball outlet at its lower end, a forwardly projecting hood arranged on the said upper part of the basket at the upper edge of the inlet opening in the lower part thereof, a gate pivoted at its lower end to the lower edge of said inlet opening, and a spring operating to hold said gate yieldingly in its closed position, substantially as set forth.

7. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, and a ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket above the lower end thereof, substantially as set forth.

8. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, and a ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket above the lower end thereof and having a movable bottom, substantially as set forth.

9. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, and a ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket and consisting of a ringsl1uped body and a laterally movable bottom. substantially as set forth.

10. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, a ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket and consisting of a ring-shaped body and a laterally movable bottom, and an upright shaft connected with said bottom. substantially as set forth.

11. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet opening in its side and a ball outlet opening at its lower end, a ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket and consisting of a ring shaped body and a laterally movable bottom an upright shaft connected with said bottom, a spring operating to turn said shaft for causing said bottom to close the underside of said ring, and a stop for limiting the closing movement of said bottom and shaft, substantially as set forth.

12. An amusement device comprising a basket having a ball inlet in its side and a ball outlet at its lower end, a ball receiving pocket arranged below said outlet, :1 ball receiving pocket arranged within the basket and having :1 movable bottom, and a shaft for operating said bottom having a handle arranged adjacent to the pocket below the basket, substantially as set forth.

Witness my hand this 13th day of April, 1907.

' JOHN D. vasnr. Witnesses Trrno. L. Poi-r, E. M. GRAHAM. 

